A close associate of Jay-Z pleaded guilty yesterday (April 24) to disorderly conduct for pepper-spraying R&B crooner R. Kelly during the

duo’s The Best of Both Worlds Tour in 2004.

Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith, vice president of Def Jam Records and friend of rapper Jay-Z, stood trial in a Manhattan Criminal Court yesterday regarding the incident, which took place at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Oct. 30, 2004.

During the show, R. Kelly claimed to have seen two men with guns in the audience and left the stage fearing for his life, the lawsuit states.

R. Kelly agreed to resume his performance after police were called, but on his way back to the stage he and members of his entourage were

assaulted with pepper spray wielded by an associate of Jay-Z identified as Smith, the lawsuit charges.

In return for his guilty plea and the successful completion of four days of community service and two days of anger-management counseling, Smith

will be exonerated of all charges.

The charges stem from a lawsuit filed by Kelly, who is set to stand trial for several counts of child pornography and statutory rape later this year.